Real-time updates: Bucs want to keep their lead in the division against the Packers.
With four games left in the NFC South, Tampa Bay is ahead of Atlanta and New Orleans by a narrow tiebreaker.
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In the second quarter of this afternoon’s game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the Packers lead the Bucs 7-3 thanks to a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Tucker Kraft.
When Kingsley Enagbare sacked Baker Mayfield, he forced a fumble that Enagbare recovered at the Tampa Bay 4-yard line, setting up the score.
On the Bucs’ first play, Chase McLaughlin kicked a 39-yard field goal to give them a momentary 3-0 lead.
Tampa Bay (6-7) has a tiebreaker advantage over the Falcons (common opponents) and Saints (head to head), but is tied with Atlanta (6-7) and New Orleans (6-7) atop the NFC South based on overall record.
The Vikings (7-7) are in second place in the NFC North, ½ of a game ahead of the Packers (6-7), and 3½ behind the division-leading Lions (10-4).
Due to injuries, the Bucs are without defensive lineman Will Gholston (knee, ankle), safety Ryan Neal (back), and cornerback Carlton Davis (groin). A coach made the decision to put linebacker Devin White on the sidelines.
Throughout the game, keep an eye on our live updates.
During their first drive, the Packers covered 71 yards in 11 plays, but were stopped on downs by the Bucs, preventing them from scoring.
During the drive, Aaron Jones, who had made his way back into the starting lineup, carried eight times for 44 yards, including a 20-yard run around right end that put Green Bay into Tampa Bay territory.
After three plays, Jordan Love found Jordan Reed for a 20-yard pass that went to the 24 yard line.
The Packers got a first down at the 12 after a 7-yard Jones run over left tackle, and the ball was moved to the 5 after another 7-yard gain. However, on third down, Christian Izien and Anthony Nelson dropped Jones for a 1-yard loss, and on fourth and 2 from the 4, Love threw an incomplete pass to Reed.
However, two plays later, Kingsley Enagbare sacked Baker Mayfield, forcing and recovering a fumble at the Tampa Bay 4, giving the Bucs the ball back
With 49 seconds remaining in the first quarter and two plays later, Love found tight end Tucker Kraft for a 5-yard touchdown pass, giving the Packers a 7-3 lead.
Although Baker Mayfield’s poor completion percentage (48.3) in the previous two games has garnered a lot of attention lately, the quarterback excelled on the opening drive that led to a field goal by the Bucs.
Before the drive stalled, Tampa Bay had gained 54 yards in 10 plays thanks to three touchdowns from Mayfield.
On the first play from scrimmage, Mayfield started at the Bucs 25 and quickly got a first down by throwing a pass to Chris Godwin for 11 yards.
After gaining three yards by carrying up the middle, Rachaad White was able to get to the Green Bay 37 after a quick pass over the middle from Mayfield.
Following two six-yard runs by White, the Bucs were faced with third and four from the 31. After Mayfield returned to Godwin, there were 12 yards gained and a first down at the 19.
After Deven Thompkins was dropped for a 1-yard loss on a reverse and White was stopped after a 5-yard gain, Tampa Bay was forced to face third and 6 from the 15.
With 9:02 left in the first quarter, the Bucs had to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin to take a 3-0 lead after Kenny Clark sacked Mayfield for a 6-yard loss.
Now that they’re back on top of the NFC South, the challenge for the Bucs is to stay there.
A come-from-behind victory over Atlanta last week lifted the Bucs (6-7) into a three-way tie for first place with the Falcons and New Orleans Saints with four weeks remaining in the regular season.
The two-time defending division champions currently hold tiebreaker advantages over both rivals. Still, the margin for error down the stretch figures to be minimal with Tampa Bay facing playoff contenders Green Bay and Jacksonville before closing with division matchups against the Saints and Carolina Panthers.
Both the Bucs and Packers recovered from slow starts to work their way into playoff contention.
The Bucs lost four straight games to fall to 3-5 but have gone 3-2 since, including wins over Carolina and Atlanta the last two weeks. Green Bay had its own four-game skid to drop to 2-5 before winning four of its last six games.
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said the difference has been players simply beginning to make plays they weren’t earlier in the season.
“The maturity factor has kicked in, and mental toughness factor has kicked in, and then believing in each other and playing for each other has kicked in,” he said. “That’s kind of what you want to see in December football. I think that plays a lot in it.”
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